Over the weekend, Chicagos Grant Park hosted the 2006 edition of Lollapalooza. Eclectic as ever, this years festival featured headlining spots from Kanye West, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Wilco, The Raconteurs, Gnarls Barkley and Death Cab for Cutie, as well as standout sets from My Morning Jacket, Umphreys McGee, the Disco Biscuits, Ryan Adams, The Go! Team, Deadboy and the Elephantmen, the Duo, Blues Traveler, Iron & Wine, Cold War Kids and Particle, among many others. During their Saturday afternoon set, the Disco Biscuits teased Janes Addictions Three Days as a tribute to festival founder Perry Farrell, while Farrell and Poi Dog Pondering guitarist Frank Orrall sang with Thievery Corporation during its show. Perhaps Lollapaloozas unofficial anthem, Gnarls Barkleys Crazy was performed by a number of different artists, including Kanye West, The Raconteurs, Mates of State and, of course, its authors, who took the stage wearing tennis outfits. Noted indie-rockers Sleater-Kinney also performed their final festival date before beginning an indefinite road hiatus next week.
While the considerable distance between Lollapaloozas multiple stages prevented artists from mingling, yet alone collaborating, a number of late night performances blossomed into all-star jams. On Saturday night, Blues Traveler and Particle shared a bill at the House of Blues. During Particles set, John Popper played harmonica and vocals on a Stevie Wonders Superstition, with keyboardist Steve Molitz and guitarist
Ben Combe later joined Blues Traveler during performance.
Across town, Umphreys McGees Brendan Bayliss, Jake Cinninger and Kris Myers joined the Disco Biscuits Marc Brownstein and Aron Magner for a set of Pink Floyd covers and a set of Beatles covers as the Brain Damaged Eggmen at Chicagos The Vic Theatre. A show closing version of Hey Jude featured a number of additional guests, including Umphreys McGee bassist Ryan Stasik, manager Vince Iwinski and sound man Kevin Browning on vocals. During the all-star jam, Umphreys McGees Joel Cummins and Jack Straws Barry Brown also joined in on keyboards, while Cinninger replaced Myers on drums. Myers then assumed vocals, while the Disco Biscuits Jon Gutwillig took over on guitar.
A night later, Bayliss subbed for Scott Metzger in Bustle In Your Hedgerow at the Abbey Pub. During the Led Zeppelin tribute-acts set, Bayliss, the Duo and Dave Dreiwitz (WEEN) offered a number of instrumental selections, with the Umphreys McGee frontman singing lead vocals on numbers like How Many More Times and Fool in the Rain. Former Zappa guitarist Mike Keneally also joined the quartet for Immigrant Song, while Philadelphia School of Rock guitarist Sarah Zimmerman took the stage for Riverside Blues.